Loose leaf binder



Jan. 12, 1932. G. G. MEVl 1,840,910

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 4, 1930 binders the leaves are above element secured Patented Jan. 12, 1932 rrlcs GEORGE e. MEVI; on NEW YORK, 1v. Y.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Application filed September 4, 1930. Serial No. meme.

It is old in the looseleaf binder art to fasten the leaves removably in position withinthe binder through the medium of an 7 appropriate number of binder posts or screws which extend through the leaves adJacent the rear edges of the latter and through front and rear strips between which the said portions of the leaves are arranged. In these i held through the cosaid strips and binder operative action of said strips are hingedly posts or screws and connected along corresponding longitudinal edges to the back member of the binder cover to permit the binder to be opened at any leaf.

" Moreover, it is commonin such binders to so correlate the leaf fastening elements as to permit the removal of selected leaves and whenever the occasionldemands it the replacement of sa1d leaves 1n the binder and also to perm t additional leaves'to'be' inserted at selected places within the binder whenever desired. Various constructions having this purpose in view have been proposed.

I The instant invention primarily relates to the provision of correlated binderposts or screws and locking elements which will cooperate with each other and with the strips between which the rear edges of the leaves are arranged in securing saidedges against accidental displacement while permitting re moval of a selected leaf or leaves from the binder and the insertion of a leaf or leaves into the binder at any desired place or places in the latter.

' More particularly defined, tl1is invention includes a post and a locking element relatively so formed and arranged that when in place within the binder said post will project from one of the strips and into the other strip-through any leaves intermediate the stripsand its upper end will be releasably engaged with the locking element at places and below the last"mentioned'strip. Still more particularly defined the Construction' includes a post and a locking element, said post having its end opposite the'loc'king to one of the strips and said locking element being pivoted to the other strip and formed with an openinginto which an edge of the latter strip projects and with spaced members adaptedrespectively to engage the post at places above and below said strip when in looking relationship with the post. 7 I I a a In other words, this invention comprises a looseleaf binder whose leaves are 'removably secured through the medlum of bmding elements including front and rear strips hingedly mounted within the binder, an appropriate and its opposite-end extending into an opening in theothe'rstrip, and an appropriate number of locking elements which are pivabove" and belowsaid latter strip: and

wherein the post and locking element are relatively so formed that the engagement 1 be of a nature to permit the ready release of the post and strip from each other whenever such release isdesir'ed. v

The invention also consists in certain improvements of a detail nature in the construction' of the post, these improvements having relation, respectively, to provision for longitudinal extension of the post, to the manner in which the post is secured to one strip by the locking element at one end and to the manner in which its opposite end is secured to the other strip. r

Typical embodiments of the invention are illustrated. in the accompanying drawings whe'rein'like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in, the several figures. In said drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a plan VlBWOf a binder constructed in accordance with .my invention, showing one of the cover members of the binder in open position and the binding elements in elements to receive corresponding parts of the posts, respectively;

number of posts each of which has 6?) one of its ends secured to one of sa1d strips otally secured to the latter strip'and each '65 formed to include upper and lowermembers to engage the corresponding post atplaces 1 Fig. 2 is a detail section, as on the line 22 of Fig. 1 on a larger scale than the latter figure and intended more clearly to illustrate the correlation of the binding strips, bound leaves, binder posts and locking ele ments in the locked position of the parts;

Fig. 3 is a detail representation illustrative of the correlation of the parts when in the positions they occupy to permit insertion or removal of leaves;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail representation of a slightly different construction of post adapted to be riveted to the back strip, also shown in said figure;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional representation showing still another form of post and also showing its connection to the back strip and its correlation with the front strip and with the locking element when the latter is in locking position;

Fig. 6 is a detail representation of a locking element particularly adapted for use with the construction of posts shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the said element being viewed from the under side; and

Fig. 7 is a detail representation of a locking element. viewed from the upper side, particularly adapted for use with the construction of post shown in Fig. 5.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings: A and B designate the front and rear cover-members, connected with each other by a flexible back C; and D and E respectively designate the front and rear strips etween which the rear longitudinal edges of the leaves F are bound. The said strips are hingedly connected along their corresponding longitudinal edges, as along the lines 10, to the back member C to permit the opening of the book at any leaf of the latter.

The leaves F are held in their proper positions with relation to the strips D and E through the medium of correlated posts and locking elements hereinafter described in de tail. Different typical embodiments of the posts are illustrated. Before entering upon a description. of the details of the several posts, it mav be stated that in each instance each post is appropriately secured at its inner end to the rear strip, E. and extend thence through openings in the leaves F and into openings in the front strip D and in each instance each post also is formed to provide a shoulder immediately below the lower surface of the strip D, to be engaged by a member of the corresponding fastening element,

and each preferably terminates with its outer end substantially flush with the outer surface ofsaid strip D, so as to be covered by another member of said fastening element, when the parts are in locked-together relationship.

Thus it will be noticed that in the construction shown best in Fig. 2 the post Gr comprises a body member 11 and a member 12 formed integral with and projecting from one end of said body member and formed with a shoulder 13 which is arranged intermediate the length of the member 12. The upper end portion 12 of said member 12 extends into an opening in the strip D and the shoulder 13 engages the under surface of said strip and is spaced from the up er end of said body 11. The lower end of the body 11 rests upon the upper surface of the strip E and is formed with an internally threaded socket 14 to receive a screw 15 which extends through said strip and has its head 16 engaged with the under surface thereof. The post G is thus removably clamped at its lower end to the strip E. The screw is of such length as to permit adjustment of the length of the post to accord with the number and thickness of the leaves within the binder, merely by relative rotation of the screw 15 and body.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the upper end 12 of the body 11 of the post, marked G, instead of being integral with said body is of separate formation and is screwed into a socket 14 formed in the upper end of the body, being threaded as shown at 15 for said purpose. The lower end of the body 11 of this post, instead of being secured to the lower strip, E, in a manner WlllCh permits its ready removal therefrom, is riveted, as shown at 16, to the under surface of said strip. The member 12 is formed with a shoulder 13 which is spaced from the threaded portion 15 and from the upper terminal portion, 13, of said member. In the use of this particular embodiment of post as a part of a looseleaf binder, the upper end 13 of the member 12 will extend into the upper strip D (not shown in this figure) and the shoulder 13 will be immediately beneath said strip, as explained with relation to the form shown in Fig. 2.

The particular form of post shown in Fig. 5, and marked G comprises a body 11 whose lower end extends through the lower strip E and is formed with an integral head 16 to engage the lower surface of said strip. The screw. marked 12" in this particular form, has the lower end of its shank threaded into a socket formed in the upper end of the body. The upper end of this screw 12" is in the form of a head 13" which is disposed in an opening in the upper strip D and terminates substantially flush with the outer sur face of said strip. The lower end of this head provides a shoulder, 13 corresponding to the shoulders 13 and 13 of Figs. 2 and 4, respectively.

It will thus be seen that these several forms of posts have the following common characteristics; each comprises a plurality of members having relative adjustment permitting longitudinal extension of the post to accommodate greater or lesser numbers of leaves principle.

spaced limbs other along their corresponding longitudinal p 7 22. 'When attached to the strip D the limb 20 will overlie and the limb and each includes means at one end of its body member to secure it tolone of the strips, and a member at its other end to extend into an opening in the other strip, and a shoulder above the upper end of its body member and suitably adjacent the under surface of the latter strip; to be engaged by a member of a locking element to be now described. I

Two forms of this locking element are exemplified, which although slightly differing from each other in minute details are alike in The form of locking element marked H in Fig. 1, is preferred for use with the posts shown in Figs; 2, 3 and 4:. This locking element is of substantially U-shapein cross section and is carried by the strip D, to which it is pivoted at one of its ends,as shown at h, Fig. 1. Being substantially U- shaped in cross section, it comprises two 20 and 21 connectedwith each edges by a member 21 will underlie the opposite surfaces of said strip and the connecting member 22 will be alongside the free longitudinal edge of said strip. The under limb 21 of the locking element is formed with a cut-away portion 2 1 to receive the corresponding part of the memhere 12, 12 or 12 of the posts G, G or G, as the case may be. The shoulder, 13 or 13, according to which form of the invention is employed, rests upon the portion of said member 21 adjacent its cut-away portion 24 while the member 20 of the locking element extends over the opening in the strip D into which the upper end of the post projects when the arts are in their locked-together relation ship. It will be apparent that the parts may be thus locked together or unlockedfrom each other merely by turning the locking element upon its pivot at h, in which operation movement of the locking element in one direction will engage it with the post at a point below the strip and also substantially at a place above said strip, and movement in the opposite direction will free it from its engagement with the post. hen the post has been thus freed the strip D may be turned back pivotally, along the or more leaves bound within the binder may be removed or other leaves may be placed in the binder.

The construction of lock shown in Figs. 5

and 7, marked H in said figures is applicable to the posts illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, but is more particularly designed for use in relation to the construction shown in Fig. 5. It does not differ in principle from the looking element H. The only respects in which it differs in detail from said locking element H, except in size, it being of somewhat heavier construction than said element H, is that its lower limb, marked 21', is shorter from the connecting section, marked 22" to its free a. departure from line 10, in order that any one of'the limb 20 and'saidsection 22., and that it has a bent-upprojection 25 to beengaged by the thumb nail ofthe user, for example,

for convenience in unlocking "it. The, said lower limb 2'1' l13S an opening 24; in its edge to receive the shank 12" of the-screw-at a place immediately beneath the shoulder .132

I when the parts are in their locked relationship, at which timethe part 25 of the upper limb 20 overlies the head 13 of said screw,

It will be understood that although the drawings illustrate and the foregoing description sets forth thecorrelation of the parts in which thelocking elements are'attached to the upper strip, 1), this being the preferred arrangement, yet it would not be the spirit of the invention to reverse the position of the posts and attach the ioclring elements to the under strip, E, and hence the terms front, rear, upper, undei above, underlie, overlie, etc., wherever used in this specification, including the claims, are intended to be construed as illustrative merely and not restrictively. Gther changes in the details also may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by appended claims. Having thus described the invention,.what I believe to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p I -1. A loose leaf binder, including-a post adapted to extend'through the leaves and having a fastening means-at one end and a shoulder ad acent its other end, and a lo'clnng element pivoted at one end and having spaced members projecting from its pivoted end and arranged ,to overlie the upper extremity of the post and underliesaid shoulder, respectivelv;

2. In a loose leaf binder,a post adapted to extend through the leaves and having a shoulder near one end, and a pivoted locking element having spaced members one of which is formed with an open-ended slot to receive the portion of the post adjacent said shoulder, the other member of said lock being adapted to project over the extremity of the post.

8. In a loose leaf bind-er, a post adapted to extend through the leaves and including a body member and an end member of lesser diameter than the body member, said end member formed to provide a shoulder spaced from the end of the body member, and a pivoted locking element having spaced members one of which is formed with an open-ended slot to receive the portion of the post which is of lesser diameter and to underlie said shoulder, the other member of said locking element being adapted to overliethe end of the post provided with the shoulder.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising a cover,

a post, means by which the post is hingedly attached at one end tothe cover, said post adapted to extend through the leaves and having a shoulder adjacent its otherend, and a strip hingedly connected With the cover and provided with a pivoted element having a member which underlies the strip and engages the post at a place adjacent said shoulder and locks the corresponding end of the post detachably to said strip.

5. In a loose leaf binder, a cover, spaced to strips hingedly secured along corresponding longitudinal edges Within the cover, a post having one of its ends attached to one of the strips and its other end adapted to extend into an opening in the other strip and having a shoulder adjacent the under surface of the latter, and a locking element pivoted at one endto the latter strip EIRL formed with inner and outer members one of which is adapted to overlie the corresponding terminal of the post and the other to underlie said shoulder, when the parts are in locked relationship.

6. A structure according to claim 4 Wherein the post is of lesser diameter adjacent the shoulder and the member of the locking element which underlies the shoulder has an opening in its edge to receive said portion of the post having the lesser diameter.

7. In a loose leaf binder, a cover, spaced strips hingedly secured along corresponding longitudinal edges Within the cover, a longitudinally ex ensible post including a body member and a screw having threaded engagement with the body member at one end of the latter, said post having one of its ends eX- tending through and attached to one of said strips and its other end adapted to extend into the other strip and provided with a shoulder adjacent the under surface of the latter strip, and a locking element pivoted to the latter strip and including spaced members which overlie the end of the post Within the strip and underlie the shoulder adjacent said strip, respectively.

In testimony wherof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE G. MEVI. 

